It was the early 70’s, Jerry Masucci (the former police officer turned lawyer) and his newly formed Fania Records was establishing itself as a power in the Latino music industry. Recordings by Johnny Pacheco (who became the labels vice president), Larry Harlow, Willie Colon and Ray Barretto were giving the label a visible identity of hip-ness. They were all characterized by a sound based on the best traditions of Afro-Cuban music but with an “in-your-face” contemporary NYC attitude. Although Ray’s previous recordings on Fania (ACID, HARD HANDS, TOGETHER) all had a common thread of excellence, it was still a band that was evolving.

That would change when a 17 year old bass student at NYC’s prestigious Music & Art High School would become a permanent member of Barretto’s band. Appearing on the previous release, Together, his name was Andy Gonzalez. Like Barretto, he was a fellow Bronx Nuyorican and he would anchor Ray’s group along with the now set members of Roberto Rodriguez, Joseph Papy Roman and the jazz influenced René Lopez on trumpets, pianist Louis Crúz, Tony Fuentes on bongó and cencerro (hand bell), Orestes Vilato on timbales and vocalist/sonero/guiro/maraca player, Adalberto Santiago. With Barretto on congas, the group re-defined the classic Cuban conjunto sound (small group with trumpets) based on the model Arsenio Rodriguez had developed in the 1930’s.

In reviewing Ray’s history as a composer, several themes are always pre-dominant - facing and overcoming adversity, jealousy and envy by others, relationships, and cultural pride. The opening tune on this disc, “Oye La Noticia,” is no exception. Its harmonized vocal intro by Justo Betancourt and Yayo El Indio in a guaracha/guaguancó tempo challenging those who may be envious of Barretto and his band is definitely a show of strength and bravura to all challengers. Check out the interaction between Ray, Orestes and Tony during Luis’s piano solo. The hip cierres (rhythmic breaks) they do exemplify a true working band that is tight and in the comfort zone with each other. Ray’s solo is the coup-de-gras as he explodes on the montuno (vamp).

Roberto Rodriguez’s “Perla Del Sur” is dedicated to his beloved birthplace in Cuba, Cienfuegos. It’s a great example of the Cuban son tradition and Ray’s ever present respect for tradition. Adalberto’s soneo’s (vocal improvisations) soar over the band. Another tasty Luis Crúz piano solo leads into Roberto’s beautiful high register trumpet feature. “Right On”, composed by Ray is what best can be described as a rock/funk/boogaloo tune with it’s catchy unison bass and piano figure and its lyrics addressing Ray’s pride in his multi-cultural NYC upbringing. Listen to René’s hip jazz influenced solo over the funky bass line. It exudes Nuyorican soul.

“De Que Te Quejas Tu”, is an up-tempo guaracha where Adalberto gets to stretch his soneo skills. “Y Dicen”, by bongocero Tony Fuentes, is classic son montuno that addresses the bands swing and sabor (taste) at a medium tempo. Roberto Rodriguez is featured as he slyly quotes Stormy Weather in his solo. Written by Cuban Hugo Gonzalez, the guaguancó/guaracha, “Quitate La Mascara” became a clarion call for lovers angry with their significant others lies and deceptions.

“Se Que Volveras” by pianist Louis Crúz is classic romantic bolero. Its clever arrangement has a cha-cha-cha section that leads to some nice interplay by the trumpets. The closer, “Power”, is what can best be described as a hip son-funk-tuno that opens with one of Ray’s classic bass and piano inventos (inventions). It features stellar work by René, Orestes, Louis, Andy and Ray proving this was a band with some outstanding soloists. As Ray told me, You know Bobby, I remember once at the Hunts Point Palace (in the Bronx) we played a dance and the people just stood there after we performed and just applauded as if we were at a jazz club. It was magical. That’s when I realized, we had arrived as a band. I witnessed that magic as a young man growing up in the Bronx. Just look at the cover. It’s the magic that can only be known as, “Barretto-Power”.

First things first. Let’s not confuse Monguito Santamaria with his world-famous, late father, the great conguero Mongo Santamaria. Still less with ‘Monguito’, the venerable Cuban sonero Ramon Quian who (confusingly) also recorded a couple of albums on Fania and Fania-related labels

‘Our’ Monguito is a pianist as well as a highly skilled composer, arranger and bandleader. In the space of just four albums over about seven years, Monguito covered the waterfront, turning his hand to almost every fashion in latin music with aplomb, originality and dexterity.

But our Monguito – or at least, those responsible for the original release of those four albums – seems to have been a member of the Secret Service, such is the paucity of recording and personnel information in almost all the record sleevenotes of the time. The 1970 issue of this album lists Jerry Masucci (the original Fania boss) as Executive Director, and Johnny Pacheco (Dominican flautist and Fania co-founder) as Musical Director. And that’s about it.

Our best shot is to turn to Monguito’s very first album for Fania, 1968’s ‘On Top’. Here, we have a non-latino horn section (Rene McLean on alto, Harvey Hargraves on trumpet, Glenn Walker on trombone) with the great Jose Mangual Jr on bongos, Andy Gonzales on bass and timbalero Ronnie Hill. The English vocals are handled by Ronnie Marks, although the Spanish selections have an uncredited vocalist (possibly Justi Barreto, who contributes compositions throughout Monguito’s albums until 1974, when Hector Casanova takes over). As might be expected for a New York Latin album of 1967, the repertoire is biased to bugalú, shingaling and latin soul, and the disc spawned one big radio and club hit,’Juicy’.

The follow-up, 1969’s ‘Hey Sister’, whilst comparatively devoid of sleeve information, has the same feel and a photo of the nonet who made the disc, several of whom are recognisable as having appeared on ‘On Top’. Certainly the vocalists are the same. And one can be pretty certain that a constant on all four albums was the great percussionist Sam ‘Seguito’ Turner, who had come to Santamaria’s band with a recording pedigree that had included James Brown’s ‘Hot Pants’ (1966) and Montego Joe’s legendary Har-You Percussion Orchestra (1967). Sam would later form the rhythm backbone of Lionel Hampton’s famous series of ‘Jazz Tribute’ sessions over the next decade or so, before more recently adding flavour to modern jazz sessions such as Don Pullen’s and Al Williams’.

So, where does ‘On Top’ lie in the context of Monguito’s full Fania oeuvre? It’s a transitional album and, because of that, probably his most interesting work. It contains elements of ‘On Top’’s compelling latin soul groove, but the set’s strong salsa tipica selections prefigure the totally-salsa period of the 1974 set, ‘En Una Nota’. African American singer Ronnie Marks acquits himself with flying colours on the English vocal tracks, giving them all an authentically soulful quality that’s so often lacking in bugalú: ‘I’ve Got To Find’ sounds sufficiently convincing to be an outtake from a contemporaneous Tyrone Davis or Wilson Pickett session. ‘Crying Time’ and ‘You Need Help’ fill out the English repertoire nicely, but it’s the salsa tunes that really rock, too: ‘Asi Sere Para Ti’, ‘Guarara’ and ‘Son Del Monte’ – every one a Justi Barreto composition – all hold down a merciless clavé from start to finish. The jazz-tinged dancer ‘Todo Es Todo’ highlights another transition for Monguito, distilling the mambo swing stylings of ‘Chango’ and ‘Mambo New’ (from’Hey Sister’) in preparation, it seems, for the altogether darker jazz sounds of tunes such as ‘Martinez’ that we find on 1974’s ‘En Una Nota’.

Marty Sheller dealt with all English song arrangements, whilst no arrangement credits are given for the salsa selections – a disappointing, but all-too-familiar feature with 60s Latin records.

So what makes Monguito Santamaria special? Mainly, it’s his highly fluent and versatile keyboard style. He can hold down a left-hand tumbao in his sleep, but he’s equally able to relax into an improvisation when the occasion arises (listen to his loose right wrist in ‘Todo Es Todo’). And he knows how to pump that essential hamhock grease into the soul numbers, never erring on the side of cabaret sweetness as many of his contemporaries did.

Overall, if you were limited to buying just one Monguito Santamaria album and wanted something fully representative of his talent and potential, ‘Black Out’ would be the one to choose. Original copies in mint condition regularly change hands for $50 or more: and that’s without sleevenotes!

This anthology captures the nascent career of Panamanian singer/songwriter Ruben Blades just as he is about to become a household name throughout barrios in the United States and Latin America. Although not yet a solo artist, Blades already sounds remarkably polished—which is why during the early 1970’s Louie Ramirez, the Fania All Stars, Ray Barretto, and of course, Willie Colón, were all featuring him and his songs on their albums.

While his big break arrives when he joins Ray Barretto’s orchestra and records his Canto Abacua for Barretto’s self-titled album in 1975, all hell brakes loose in the salsa world when Blades teams up with Colón and together they start producing chartbusters beginning with 1977’s classic Metiendo Mano. Juan Pachanga, recorded for the Fania All Stars on their Rhythm Machine album, introduces another of Blades’ colorful street characters together with a slick arrangement by Louie Ramirez who also is responsible for developing a sound for Fania that incorporated the urban sophistication coming out of the Philly International studios during the mid-1970’s with thick bass lines and lush strings.

While Blades’ biting social commentary has been a staple of his writing style from the beginning, he has always expressed a romantic side as well. Sin tu cariño teamed him up again with Ramirez and the Fania All Stars on the Spanish Fever album. It’s a romantic theme but not overly dramatic and his lyrics have a youthful innocence as he playfully introduces Papo Lucca for a piano solo in Portuguese. Paula C. is another original from Blades and again finds him in the company of the Fania arranger on the Louie Ramirez y Sus Amigos session. This autobiographical tune had everyone in New York trying to figure out the identity of the mystery woman who allegedly broke his heart. But halfway through the song Blades and company break into a festive samba beat as if to let everyone know that he’s down but not out.

Me Recordaras, Pablo Pueblo, and La Mora are featured on the Metiendo Mano record, which is Blades’ debut with the Willie Colón band and the precursor to salsa’s first million record seller Siembra. A sweet bolero with a stripped down arrangement, Me Recordaras reveals Blades at his most romantic, interpreting a standard by Cuban composer Frank Dominguez and featuring a dazzling cuatro guitar solo by Yomo Tomo. Pablo Pueblo is the big hit here and with good reason. Blades introduces a refreshing new narrative: A struggling workingman finally breaks his way into a story. Who can’t connect with that? La Mora is by another Cuban composer Eliseo Grenet and shows that Blades also can be wildly funny and quirky at the same time.

Blades tenure with Ray Barretto was brief but a significant step in his career as he contributed several popular tunes like the last track of this collection the Afrocentric extended jam Canto Abacua. “Ruben was very ambitious and restless,” says Barretto of the singer.

After Barretto, Blades signed on with the trombonist Willie Colon from the South Bronx whose Pan American flavored music was the perfect stage for his prolific songwriting skills. This collection documents the beginning of a career of a master storyteller who made salsa fun and exciting—and whose impact has been felt around the world.